Source: NBF News
The statistics of the state of the Nigerian women and adolescent girls are appalling. Significantly, they are worrisome all over the country, North, South, East or West. Women everywhere in Nigeria have worse life chances than men.
Global statistic has shown that, two third of the seven hundred and seventy four million adults illiterate worldwide are women
There have been calls on the need for government to focus on fighting poverty and promoting economic empowerment of women and entrepreneurship, agriculture and food security, health, maternal mortality and HIV and AIDS, education, science and technology, environment, climate change and sustainable development, peace and security and violence against women and governance and legal protection.
The cost of gender inequality and the general poor condition of women is huge. It is a major constraint to growth. Therefore, investing in girls and women makes economic sense and is an investment in Nigeria's future development.
Reports has shown that Nigeria's 80.2 million women have a worse chance in life than the men; 60-79% of the rural workforce is women but men are five times more likely to own land. More than 70 % of girls and women between 20 and 29 in the North/West cannot read or write and only 31% complete secondary school. Women occupy 21% of non formal sector positions and only 17 % of this in senior cadre.
And on maternal mortality rates in the world, findings by Civil Service organisations (CSO) also reveals that, one woman dies every ten minutes in Nigeria during delivery, that is 545 deaths per every 100,000 successful deliveries; while Politically, representation of women is appalling, of 360 members of the House of Representatives, only 25 are women which is 6% compared the African average of 19%.
Unfortunately, in our great country, one in every three women has suffered some kind of violence thereby revealing a picture that shows that violence against women persists and is deeply entrenched.
On the way out for Nigerian women, the minister of women affairs and social development, Zainab Maina said" Girls and women have the potential to transform Nigeria. Achieving balanced development places a responsibility for change in all institutions of governance and social structures.
According to her" Enhancing women's economic well being and opportunity to earn income through prioritising agriculture and rural development, Granting women more access to land for security and collateral, Giving women more access to public sector positions and incentive, Improved healthcare for women and children, ensuring that more girls stay in and finish school and thus delay early marriages and early childbirth, Tackling the issue of gender violence especially in schools as a strategic step as well as stepping up campaign against child and girl trafficking."